A public spat inside and outside the Taiwan People's Party over the nomination for the Taipei mayoral election is bad news for the party's electoral prospects, as the divisions are now playing out in front of the cameras.

• Asked whether the party would once again draft Huang Shan-shan to run for Taipei mayor, TPP chairman Huang Kuo-chang shot back at former minister without portfolio Chang Ching-sen, saying he was "overstepping."
• Chang countered that the TPP is a Taiwanese political party seeking votes from the electorate, and that anyone is entitled to comment.
• His reasoning is pragmatic: if the TPP does not field its own mayoral candidate, it will have no bargaining chips in negotiations with the Kuomintang, and its city council candidates will be dragged down as well.
• Chang is backing Huang Shan-shan because she took roughly 25% of the vote in 2022, making her a ready-made and proven contender.
• He also said that if Huang Kuo-chang were to run himself, even a losing bid could lift the party's support in Taipei back above 10% and rescue its city council candidates.

Outlook: Whether the TPP fields its own candidate for Taipei mayor will determine how much room it has to negotiate with the Kuomintang, and the pressure will only grow in the near term.